Publics Perception of Pilots

Sisson2011

Sisson2011

Well-Known Member
I'm doing an English paper for a college English class :banghead:. Anyway I am writing over the publics perception of pilots. I was wondering if what everyone here generally thinks of how the public perceives pilots. Do you think they have a correct view or incorrect?

When I say perception I mean are pilots viewed at hot rods that are always getting into trouble and drinking when they're off or some of the top of the line most repectable people.

Thanks for your input.

-Matt
Boomer Sooner
 
In the US, most people either think we're underworked crybabies or average Joe's. Hotels take comparatively mediocre care of you, the TSA and immigration find you somewhat of an annoyance. Some of that is our fault, some of it is the fact that some people kind of 'get off' by pushing crews around. The "Ha ha ha, I told that cap'n something!' mentality.

Europe, you're still "kind of somebody big". People are respectful, usually only a flash of the ID and that's good enough for immigration, hotels take absolutely superb care of you.

Largely, apart from the airport, when the uniform is off I generally will avoid identifying myself as a pilot primarily because people ask the same three questions:

a. What's your route (they vary!)
b. How much is a ticket to... (I have no idea!)/I was on this one flight to...
c. Do you know (generic name), he works for (a very large carrier with thousands of pilots).

Man, I sound a little morose this morning, sorry! :) It's the jet lag!
 
I'd say that's pretty accurate, although I'd add that most people think we all make damn near 7 figures a year, and that sure as #### is not true.
 
First. OU sucks.

Glad I got that out.

Second. I doubt spell check will pick up on "publics perception" being incorrect. It's public's.

Third. Public perception is that pilots are overpaid and lay around their house all month before they go fly a trip. Look at the media stories that are flying around: "NWA + DAL = awesomeness. But those pesky pilots are keeping it from happening!!"
 
:yeahthat:

Every time someone finds out how much I'm making/working, their jaw drops. I make it a point to inform as many people as I can.
 
Doug Taylor said:
Largely, apart from the airport, when the uniform is off I generally will avoid identifying myself as a pilot primarily because people ask the same three questions:

a. What's your route (they vary!)
b. How much is a ticket to... (I have no idea!)/I was on this one flight to...
c. Do you know (generic name), he works for (a very large carrier with thousands of pilots).
Click to expand...

:yeahthat: Yeah I ditch the uniform ASAP when I'm off duty. I get annoyed with the public staring and asking dumb questions.

I know a lot of airline pilots get asked really dumb crap at the airport such as: when does my flight leave? when you don't work for the airline they are flying on..
Or: which way is Terminal A? (or anywhere else) when all they have to do is look at a sign.

Again, I'm glad I'm a charter guy, I dunno how you airline guys put up with the stupidity that is the American public...:banghead:
 
We DO need a PR push, but oh hell, nevermind. I think we've already been down that road and a few too many people got their feelings hurt ;)
 
I don't think the general public cares anywhere near as much about pilots as we all like to think they do. ;)
 
If we're not just talking airline pilots, I'll throw in my perspective.

Maybe it's just how young I am, but people really light up when I tell them I'm a pilot. I get a much different response than when I said I was a mechanic or a valet. It's still one of the big name professions.
It's something so many people wish they knew how to do, but don't. People tell me all the time "I'd love to get my license some day." That means "I wish I could do what you do for a job, just for fun." I don't hear that when the software engineer, the building manager or sales associate introduces themselves.
 
Whatever you do, do not forget the term "glorified bus driver" in your paper.
:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:
 
A promiscuous button pusher who drinks heavily. (A little :sarcasm:)

Some people I have talked to think the plane does everything and we just sit up there and watch it. I had a guy ask me why the Autopilot couldn't find the runway when we had to go missed. He thought the plane landed itself and was shocked when the captain said "ask him he was flying and neither of us could see the runway."
 
I think the average person doesn't give two seconds thought about pilots or piloting, except whey they are actually getting on an airplane, and even then it is only a passing thought. Only pilots think about pilots, and they can't understand why everyone doesn't want to be a pilot.
 
skydog said:
I think the average person doesn't give two seconds thought about pilots or piloting, except whey they are actually getting on an airplane, and even then it is only a passing thought. Only pilots think about pilots, and they can't understand why everyone doesn't want to be a pilot.
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:yeahthat: Well said.
 
Wolfy said:
If we're not just talking airline pilots, I'll throw in my perspective.

Maybe it's just how young I am, but people really light up when I tell them I'm a pilot. I get a much different response than when I said I was a mechanic or a valet. It's still one of the big name professions.
It's something so many people wish they knew how to do, but don't. People tell me all the time "I'd love to get my license some day." That means "I wish I could do what you do for a job, just for fun." I don't hear that when the software engineer, the building manager or sales associate introduces themselves.
Click to expand...
:yeahthat: I'm just a student pilot, but when I'm in a group of students talking about what we're all training in or even in a group of non students talking about our various jobs or the jobs we would like to get, I mention "I'm training to be a pilot" and people immediately "light up" like Wolfy says. Suddenly, they're spending a half hour asking questions about flying and telling me stories about how much they love flying as a passenger, they just "don't like how the airlines treat them" and yada yada. The effect is especially amplified when I talk with my foreign penpals, especially in Asia and Europe. I heard on NPR a few months ago, that in the UK, pilots were the third most trusted profession after firefighter and doctor in that country.

That being said, I have talked to people who thought pilots drank all the time, flew airplanes drunk, had huge egos, etc. Maybe the part about huge egos is true (I can attest to that from my experiences with fully rated pilots :D), but I always ask the people who have such negative perceptions of pilots how they think such a complex system as modern day air transport is so safe when, according to their perceptions, planes should be crashing left and right? They usually have no answer for that.
 
In regards to how much people think about pilots: I'm willing to bet that if you interviewed 100 people, and asked them to name ten careers/professions, "pilot" would not come up once.
 
I think most peoples list would go something like this...

Doctor
Lawyer
Dentist
Police Officer
Fire Fighter
Stock Broker
Accountant
Secretary
Therapist
Clerk
 
Doug Taylor said:
In the US, most people either think we're underworked crybabies or average Joe's. Hotels take comparatively mediocre care of you, the TSA and immigration find you somewhat of an annoyance. Some of that is our fault, some of it is the fact that some people kind of 'get off' by pushing crews around. The "Ha ha ha, I told that cap'n something!' mentality.

Europe, you're still "kind of somebody big". People are respectful, usually only a flash of the ID and that's good enough for immigration, hotels take absolutely superb care of you.

Largely, apart from the airport, when the uniform is off I generally will avoid identifying myself as a pilot primarily because people ask the same three questions:

a. What's your route (they vary!)
b. How much is a ticket to... (I have no idea!)/I was on this one flight to...
c. Do you know (generic name), he works for (a very large carrier with thousands of pilots).

Man, I sound a little morose this morning, sorry! :) It's the jet lag!
Click to expand...
I agree with that for the most part, but I somewhat enjoy the stupid questions, but I haven't gotten them as much, obviously, only being a private pilot.

That's a good point to make, though. Most people I meet don't understand I can't fly whatever aircraft I want now.

I love how we get blamed for everything. That's another thing...
"That flight was so bumpy! The pilot sucked!!"
Or, when, as a passenger, I'm sitting back marvelling at the pilot's skill up front at pulling off a great crosswind landing, but it's still not perfect and people get all upset after the flight that we "slammed" to the ground.

etc.etc.etc...

People don't understand, so they don't get it. I'd argue that the overall (inflation adjusted) cost drop in ticket prices is co-related to this, if you have time to look into that, though I'm sure it would be difficult.
 
What about the preception of pilots in the media? It becomes more clear eveytime a story is done about the airline industry or pilots in general that the media has NO idea what they are talking about.
 
DenverPilot8 said:
What about the preception of pilots in the media? It becomes more clear eveytime a story is done about the airline industry or pilots in general that the media has NO idea what they are talking about.
Click to expand...

Makes you wonder what ELSE do they have no idea what they're talking about.
 
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